The Better Path
by Shy Whisper Of Life
Summary: Sasuke meets someone unsuspected on a cliff. She tells him things he never would have imagined. And then, she leaves. Forever. Sad little one-shot. Rated for character death.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N: I'm listening to Concrete Angel by Martina McBride right now. I love that song. I almost cried when I saw the music video. This is a sad little oneshot. I don't own Naruto, but I do own a hitai-ate. No, wait, that's not mine! That's my bestest friend's. Darn. I own nothing.)**

The Better Path

The raven haired, pale boy was walking up the path to the spot he liked to go to most after he had a nightmare. The paper fan on the back of his navy blue shirt seemed to glow in the etheral light of the moon shining down on the top of one of the steepest cliffs in the Konoha area.

Uchiha Sasuke had come here often with his parents when he was a little kid. Being there made him feel closer to them. It was also the highest point in the Konoha, closer to the sky than anywhere else. He had always thought that he was the only person who went up there.

That night, he was proved wrong.

He felt, rather than saw, another person near the edge of the cliff. There was a bench placed there, and on it was a young woman. She had long, dark raven hair, with a hint more navy color than his. He was about to question as to who she was and why she was there when he heard her speak. "Uchiha-san. I was hoping you'd be here."

"Oh, it's you Hyuuga-san."

"Hai."

"Why are you here?"

"I was just looking at the stars alone one last time."

Sasuke was curious despite himself. He hoped she would elaborate without his asking. She seemed to sense his reluctance to speak because she continued. "You know, tomorrow's my birthday. My eighteenth birthday. Therefore, I become the leader of the Hyuuga clan tomorrow. Because my father sees me to be an unfit heir, but cannot change who is next in line, I'm also to be married tomorrow. To Neji-nii-san." She said this neutrally, without any disappointment nor with excitement.

Sasuke couldn't tell how she felt about it. She was looking up at the stars so he couldn't see her usually expressive eyes, either. Before he could stop himself, he asked, "Why?"

Hinata didn't answer right way. She continued to look at the stars for a few moments. Sasuke looked up also, almost as though he were expecting to see the answer written in the sky. Then she spoke. "That is the way of my clan. If ever a weak heir is produced, she is married to another Hyuuga man on the day of her eighteenth birthday. I have known this all my life. I knew this was coming. I just didn't expect it to be someone from the branch family, my own cousin, who tried to kill me in the chuunin exams. Tomorrow is the wedding. I told my father not to send out invitations."

He didn't know why, but Hinata was making him want to continue this conversation. Never before had such a thing happened. "Why didn't you want invitations sent out?"

"Because people of Konoha wouldn't understand why I had to marry my cousin. They do not understand the traditions of our clan."

"Then why tell me?"

"I'll explain to you later."

They stood in silence for a few more moments. Then Sasuke broke it. "You can't have come up here just to look at stars. What is the other reason?"

"I was waiting for you. I have been for the past three nights. I'm glad your nightmare is occurring less frequently."

"How do you know about my nightmare?"

"At the academy you used to come in with bags under your eyes. You looked haunted and I always noticed that you stayed out as late as you could to practice and took a long time to get home." She turned to look at him for the first time that night. She took something out of her kimono. "Can I trust you?" She asked suddenly.

Sasuke was taken aback. No one had ever asked him a question of that sort before. He nodded slightly.

"Good." She sighed. Then, she walked up to him and handed him the item she had pulled from her sleeve. It was a small, sealed scroll. "Can you give this to my father tomorrow? You can read it too, if you want."

He looked at her in surprise. His eyes fell back down to the scroll that was in his hands. He reached to open it. "No wait!" Hinata exclaimed. "Not yet."

"Why?"

"You'll know soon. Tomorrow is also the day something else important happens. Something that I wish would not."

"What is that?"

"My sister will be branded into the branch family because the main house has no more use for her." Hinata had tears in her eyes now. She turned her head away from him. "I know how you hate tears. Say what you want. It won't phase me. It won't change a thing."

"I couldn't rebuke you for crying over the safety of your sister." Sasuke looked just as surprised as she did when he said that. After all, he was not one to care about the feelings of others

Hinata smiled slightly. "Arigatou, Uchiha-san." She paused to look at the sky again. Then she took a deep breath. "Can I tell you something? You have to promise not to run and tell anyone."

No one had ever offered to tell the Uchiha a deep personal secret before. They only liked him for his looks, never actually trusting him. "I won't tell anyone. I promise."

She looked relieved for only a moment. Then, the stress and pain she was feeling filled her eyes. "I'm leaving, Uchiha-san." She whispered.

Sasuke looked down again sharply. He met her eyes before hissing, "What!"

"I'm leaving, and I'm not coming back. It's better for everyone that way."

"Why? Why would it be better for everyone? It certainly wouldn't be better for you."

"Neji-nii-san would not have to take a weak wife, one that he would feel guilt over almost killing earlier in his life. Hanabi-nee-chan wouldn't be branded, and she would become heiress. Father would not have to be humiliated for having such a weak daughter anymore. Hokage-sama wouldn't have to struggle to find missions that aren't complicated for me to do. Kiba-kun and Shino-kun wouldn't have to keep protecting me on group missions."

"Yes, but what about you?" Sasuke had no idea why he cared, but he did. Just the thought of the Hyuuga heiress leaving made him feel as though his heart had been pierced by an icy thorn.

"I will be much happier, Uchiha-san."

"How do you know?"

"Because I will have all my secrets off my chest."

"What?"

"I have only one more secret that I have never told anyone before."

"You're not thinking about telling me are you?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"You're the only one I would think of telling."

"Why?"

"It's about you. I've always…" She trailed off, hesitation apparent in her eyes for the first time that night.

"You've always what?"

"I've always…loved you, Sasuke-kun." She said looking up into his eyes.

Sasuke was stunned. He had always thought she loved that dobe, Naruto. "Why?" Was the only thing that would come out of his mouth. He seemed to regain his thoughts and protested, "Why, all I've ever done is offend you? I've made fun of your tears and weakness. I've been cold towards everyone, especially you. Why choose me?"

"I could see past all that. You only acted that way because you were in pain. You still are. I wanted to help you. You acted that way only because it was your way of venting your pain, and I understand that. I, on the other hand, did not find a way to do that. I used to cry myself to sleep every night, while keeping my emotions bottled up all day.

"My family taught me it was a weakness to show emotion. I didn't during my academy days. I kept quiet and stayed away from people because I knew I would show emotion around them. I hated being the center of attention. It made me blush, and that was showing emotion. My father found out about that and made me pay for it. A punch for this, a kick for that. But you didn't have family to do that to you.

"Sasuke, you shouldn't live life in the past. The past is past, and no matter what you do, it will stay the same. I wanted you to know all of this before I left. Make sure my father gets that message. But you read it first." Hinata stood on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek softly. She turned away from him, her face shadowed, and stepped closer to the edge of the cliff. "Good-bye, Sasuke-kun. I'm glad I let you know all this before I left." She turned back around to face him, tears falling from her eyes for the second time that night. "Ashiteru to sumimasen."

Sasuke looked perplexed for a moment. Then he saw her step backward with nothing under her to keep her on the cliff. Then, everything clicked in his mind. "NO! HINATA-CHAN DON'T!" He leapt forward to attempt to catch her. But he was too late. She had already stepped off the edge. He grasped at air as he reached to take her hand and watched helplessly as she fell to her death. She was dead. Gone. She had just admitted to loving him, and then committed suicide. To save her family, who couldn't care less about her. But she wanted to help him heal his pain first. He couldn't do a thing to help heal hers. "I'm so sorry Hinata-chan." He whispered, falling to his knees. Remembering the scroll a few minutes later, he ran home to read it.

He entered the Uchiha mansion and turned on one of the lights.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_Dear Father,_

_I have given Uchiha Sasuke permission to read this too and instructed him to read it before you. I have committed suicide. I hope you're proud. I've tried my whole life to impress you. To get stronger for you. To complete missions successfully for you. Now I have died for you. I have given you the perfect heir. Hanabi will be a wonderful leader in my place. I hope you're proud of yourself. I knew that I would end up marrying a Hyuuga, but fate has cursed me. It gave me Neji-nii-san as a husband. Iie, I love him as a brother, but I cannot forget what he did to me. I still feel the aftereffects. You never knew because you found me too weak to care about. You pushed my body harder than you should have. I was going to die soon anyway. I could feel the jutsu that Neji-nii-san used on me when I was twelve was about to take its full effect on my life. I knew you would not want me to die such a pitiful death. I made it so that you wouldn't have to feel the humiliation. I don't know whether you really care about me or not. I love you, even though you were a horrible father. I love you even though all you ever showed me was hate. It wasn't my fault mother died, though you act like it was. If I could have traded places with her, I gladly would have, rather than live my life being abused and emotionally hurt by you Father. I hope you will be proud of me, just this once. I feel as though I have done the right thing. I know this message will have no effect on your stone cold heart. My final request- no-my final demands are that you treat Hanabi just like you treated me when I was younger and Mother was alive. That you let her choose who she will marry, and let her choose her own destiny. And the final demand that I will make of you is that you let Sasuke-kun tell you all that I have told him and let him go to and leave the Hyuuga Complex freely. Goodbye._

_Your Loving Daughter,_

_Hinata_

**(A/N: This story was inspired by Different Kind of Free by ZoEgirl. Actually, it was inspired by the part that's spoken, like, two minutes into the song. I was just thinking about the possibilities of the meaning of that part, and this popped into my head. I know it probably isn't the meaning intended by them, but it was an interesting idea. Anyways I am not suicidal. At all. If you talk to anyone of my friends (or anyone who knows me) they'll tell you I'm about as far as you can get from it. I hope you enjoyed it, though. I know I had fun writing it. Please review!)**

Meanings:

Ashiteru to sumimasen – I love you and goodbye

Nii – brother

San – respectful term


	2. Reactions

**(A/N: Okay. So I know this is incredibly late. I mean, this was written over two years ago. But, I suppose, better late than never, right? Here's the chapter that was requested by three different people. I recently got a review on this story, and that made me remember that I promised another chapter. So, here it is. Inspired by Vampire Loser, blackmoon124, and winterkaguya~.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. The plot of this story, however, is mine. The end is cheesy. And there may be occurences of OOCness.**

Reaction

Sasuke sat on his bed in his home, pondering the happenings of the night before. A girl he had never thought much about had seen him. Had actually seen him, and not a figment of her imagination.

Other girls had always proclaimed their love for him simply because of his looks. She, however…

She had actually seen past his façade of anger and sleeplessness. She had seen him. His mind. Tortured as he was by the memories of Itachi, she was tortured worse.

Led to believe she was worthless, to the point where taking her life had made sense. And the worst part was: it had made sense. Her plan was not one she had come up with overnight. She had thought on it for days, maybe even months, to make sure she had no other option.

She honestly couldn't have just left the village. Her eyes were too distinguishable.

She couldn't step down from the heiress' position. She would bring shame on their family and be branded instead of her sister.

She couldn't even postpone the wedding. Her death day was arriving quickly.

What better way could she have chosen? Maybe, with her suicide, Hiashi would feel something.

_Hiashi._ Sasuke's thought, bordering on a shriek, was threatening, fuming, accusatory. His face twisted into a cruel, demented smirk. _I haven't shown him the letter, or her dead body yet. I'll let him suffer._

Uchiha Sasuke did not have deep-cut feelings for the girl who had confessed to him last night. He had felt somewhat attracted to her over the years, seeing as she was the only non-fangirl that existed in the village. He had always assumed that she cared for the dobe of his team, Naruto, so he had never allowed his feelings for her to grow.

Seeing now that this mistake may have cost him a life, a love, a friend, the last Uchiha was peeved. He was indescribably angry at the man who had allowed his daughter to spiral into a state of ill-health, neglect, love-lacking.

More than that, though, he was angry at himself, who could not distinguish the girl's love for himself from love for his loud-mouthed blonde friend. A realization struck him. _The dobe never realized her attention because it was never his attention to begin with._

He rolled from his bed. If he didn't do something with himself, he would never be able to face Naruto again without injuring the boy to the point of no return._ Why didn't he tell me?_ The betrayed feeling only lasted until he realized that Naruto had never noticed the consideration at all.

Sasuke strode out of his house, pausing as he passed Hinata's body, which he had retrieved during the night. He had lain her on a crimson blanket on his couch with a sheet draped over her in preperation for the onslaught of questions he knew would come.

Eyes dry, but suspiciously red, he left his house and her body behind. Making sure he had the letter in his pocket, he headed toward the Hyuuga Compound.

The gates, secured by Hyuuga branch members during the night, were empty of guards. He walked below the arching wall into a garden fit for the most prestigious clan in Konoha.

Plant life was scattered about; flowers bloomed out of season in pots around the entrance. The ground, packed dirt, led up to the entrance of a house. The shoji sliding door was cracked slightly, letting a breeze into the house.

The building itself was impressive. Wooden walls, three meters high, towered over his one meter frame, as if to create an intimidating effect which was lost on him. The expensive, imported black walnut wood that was the structure of the building was meant to show off the wealth and power of the Hyuuga Clan.

Somewhere within the compound, nearby, he could hear the sounds of training shinobi. Their gasps for breath and powerful, graceful movements were just flickers of shadow fighters from where he stood.

Announcing his presence to the practicing warriors, he approached as they paused.

Hiashi, never before seen anywhere near the Uchiha boy, was the first to approach. "What is the meaning of this? How dare you interrupt a training session in my home and expect a kind greeting? I think not." His eyes flashed with anger as they fell upon the so called 'Uchiha Avenger.'

Sasuke stared defiantly back at the oppressive, white eyed man before him. He did not speak, but instead lifted the scroll with the broken seal, signed in Hinata's blood.

"Where is my daughter, boy?" The Hyuuga demanded, white eyes narrowing into fierce slits.

The Hyuuga he had been training with, Neji, came near to see what the Uchiha wanted that was taking his uncle so long. Seeing the scroll, his eyes narrowed also. "What have you done with Hinata-sama?"

Sasuke merely tossed the scroll as he would a kunai. Hiashi caught it mere centimeters from his face.

Unrolling the unsealed scroll suspiciously, he began to read. Sasuke watched as his face paled. "What have we done?" Hiashi's entreating whisper met Sasuke's ears.

All previous anger did not vanish at the sound of the man's pain filled voice; it only bubbled up further. "You say that like you care." Sasuke's bitter reply hung in the air for a long moment after it was voiced.

The Hyuuga head faltered. "I do- I did- Kanojo wa watashi no musumedatta." (1) His broken reply started twice before he finished with his relational attatchment to her.

Sasuke's voice was cruelly cold when he answered, " Kanojo ga onore ni nani mo nakatta." (2) His face twisted in a pitiless smirk. "You know exactly what you've done."

Neji, upon hearing the insult directed to the Clan head, fumed silently before emphasizing, "You dare come onto Hyuuga property, interrupt our training session, and insult our leader, Uchiha?"

The younger man was going to continue, but was interrupted by the sanctioned voice of Hiashi. "Soen (3), Neji-kun." Continuing, his voice was empty, "Kare wa tadashii koto o kakunin shimasu." (4)

The boy turned to face his uncle. "Otooji-sama. What happened?" His eyes were drawn to the scroll almost before Hiashi moved to hold it out to him.

"Hinata is dead. There will be no wedding. Hanabi will become heiress." The man's voice was so empty of feeling, it was almost as though his brain had shut down.

The younger Hyuuga took the unsealed scroll from his uncle's hands and rolled it open, desperate for something to indicate otherwise. His hands shook as he read. "I killed her." He was filled with the longing to be told he was incorrect, but got no words from the Uchiha or Hiashi.

After an extensive pause in noise, a reply met him, "We all killed her. If we had paid more attention, maybe she would not have been so alone."

Hiashi took up this train of thought, "If I had not been so stubborn, I would have gotten her the medical help she needed long ago. You are not the only one at fault here."

Neji's eyes widened at the admission from the two people whom he knew were some of the most prideful in the village. He thought for a moment before answering. "How do we tell Hanabi? What will we tell the village?" His questions were given no reply as both Hyuuga men turned to watch the Uchiha walk into their home.

Neither man questioned him as he came back holding the wrist of a smaller Hyuuga girl, who was fighting him every step of the way. Her movements halted as soon as she realized where he was leading her. "What do you think you're doing!" She shouted at him when he stopped in front of the Hyuuga men and let go of her as though she were a poisonous snake.

"Soen, Hanabi-chan." Hiashi whispered.

"Tou-sama? What's going on? Why is there an Uchiha dragging me through my own house?" Her demands – for they were more that than questions – went unheard.

"Hanabi-sama, " Neji bowed deeply, knowing what was to follow.

Hiashi made a split second decision. "Wakai musme (5), your sister has been killed in the line of duty. Sasuke-san has come bearing the news. She was on a mission with Sasuke-san last night, and during an ambush, was pushed off a cliff."

The little girl's eyes widened, "Nee-chan is gone?" Her wail was high pitched and heart breaking. The men from both clans flinched at her despondent words.

"Sumimasen, I tried to stop her fall, but I couldn't get to her in time." Sasuke's pained words told the three Hyuuga how deeply he regretted his inaction. Hanabi, who had been fighting him only moments before, turned to hug him before retreating to her room.

"Sasuke-san, I know this is an awful time to be telling you this, but I loved my daughter. I wanted her to be life to be perfect. The only reason she was to marry Neji was so she could keep her forehead bare, unite the houses, and stay in line as heiress. I know neither of them wanted to be married, but I thought it would be better for her than a life-time of service.

"I should have told her, explained to her, but I couldn't bring myself to lay down my pride." His voice turned bitter and self-mocking, "Now, my pride has cost my my eldest daughter."

Neji and Sasuke were stunned at the admission from the Hyuuga head. They watched him tuck the scroll into his sleeve before turning his back and following his other daughter back into the house.

They met each other's imperceptibly incredulous stares before turning their backs on one another, leaving to mourn privately.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The next day, a funeral was held for the deceased Hyuuga heiress. The story that Hanabi had been told was told to the villagers and other ninja, agreed upon by the hokage.

Her picture was placed in front of the memorial pyre that would hold her body until it was made to ashes.

All that she had told Sasuke would happen after her death occurred. Hanabi took over as heiress, and Neji was left free to marry whomever he pleased.

However, her death left an impact on those who knew the truth.

Hiashi learned to be more open with his feelings to his loved ones.

Neji learned the values of kindness and regret.

Sasuke learned to look beyond the shallow acts of others, move on from the past, and look toward the future with a new hope.

Her influence on the hearts of Konoha shinobi was subtle, but powerful, nonetheless.

**(A/N: Ahhh that was hard to write. I tried to keep them as in-character as possible, but I think I may have slipped in a few places. Yes, the ending is extremely cheesy. I think I got this story up to par with the first chapter, but I could be mistaken. Either way, let me know how you like it, please? I think I got the Japanese correct, but I could be wrong… Sorry if I confused anyone…)**

Definitions:  
(1) Kanojo wa watashi no musumedatta – "She was my daughter"

(2) Kanojo ga onore ni nani mo nakatta – "She was nothing to you" (Onore is the insulting form of the word 'you')

(3) Soen – Silence

(4) Kare wa tadashii koto o kakunin shimasu– "He is correct"

(5) Wakai musme – "Youngest daughter"


End file.
